Flan à l’Alsacienne – Vanilla Flan with Apples

A Classic French Dessert with a Hint of Citrus and Liqueur

Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

• 550 ml whole milk

• 132 g sugar (divided)

• 1 ¼ tsp all-purpose flour

• 44 g cornstarch

• 1 ¼ tbsp vanilla extract

• 2 eggs

Method:

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan, add half of the sugar, and heat it until it reaches a gentle boil.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, eggs, and remaining sugar until smooth.

3. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.

4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thickened.

5. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and let cool at room temperature.

Apple Filling

Ingredients:

• 2 large Honeycrisp apples (or any firm baking apples)

• 22 g butter

• 22 g candied orange peel

• 22 ml orange liqueur

Method:

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples into 8 wedges each.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apple slices and candied orange peel, cooking until softened and slightly caramelized.

3. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes until the apples are tender.

4. Pour in the orange liqueur, tilt the pan slightly, and carefully ignite the alcohol to flambé. Let the flames subside and remove from heat.

Assembly & Final Touch

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Divide the cooked apples and orange peel among oven-safe baking dishes.

3. Transfer the pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a medium tip or use a spatula to spread it over the fruit.

4. Broil for 3–5 minutes until lightly browned on the surface.

5. Let cool slightly before serving.

Behind the Recipe – A Lesson in Precision and Flambé Mastery

This recipe is a beautiful intersection of classic French techniques and bold flavors. The pastry cream is a lesson in patience—if you rush, you get lumps; if you don’t whisk enough, you get scrambled eggs. Mastering that silky texture is what separates amateurs from professionals.

Flambéing the apples is a show-stopper move, but it’s not just for spectacle—it deepens the flavors, burns off the harsh alcohol notes, and leaves behind the warm, aromatic essence of orange liqueur. If you’ve never flambéed before, take it slow, use a long match, and always tilt the pan away from you.

This is not just a dessert; it’s an experience, a reminder that technique and precision matter in baking. At Art Bakery & Gourmet, we never take shortcuts. Every spoonful should transport you straight to a Parisian café or a cozy Alsatian kitchen.

Try this recipe, and remember—baking is both an art and a science.

Sergui Boulanger